Air-brake-system signaling apparatus.



S. P. GOTA.

AIR BRAKE SYSTEM SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1909.

952,0?Q Patented Mar. 15,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WWI/Mm 514mm Mg wei /110 S. P. GOTA.

AIR BRAKE SYSTEM SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I 1909. at

Patented Mar. 15, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- SIMdN P. COTA, DICKINSON, NORTH DAKOTA.

AIn-nnAKE-sYsTEm sIeNAI'11ne, ,-A1 PAn'Arns.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMON P. com, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dickinson, in the county of Stark and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Brake- System Signaling Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a signaling apparatus for indicating the condition of the air pressure in any one of the brake cylinders of an air brake system, and the principal object of the same is to provide an apparatus by means of which it will be automatically indicated by means of si als actuated by the air entering said cylinder whether the'air brakes are acting pro erly or not, and thereby automatically noti ying the train crew as to the condition of the air brakes so that they may immediately give attention to the same, should it develop by the operation of said signals that leakage or other causes had taken place whereby the brakes were not acting properly.

In carrying out the general object of the invention stated above, it will, of course, be readily understood that the essential features thereof are susceptible of changes in details and structural arrangements, but one preferred. and practical embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the invention, parts thereof bein shown in section. Fig. 2 is an end view a car showing the invention applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a detailed diagrammatic View of the signal operating mechanism, showing two visual signals in circuit therewith. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a contact block used in connection with the invention. Fig. 5

is a horizontal sectional view of the same,

Fig. 6 is'a plan view of the signal operating 0 linder and pressure gage.

Re erring to said drawings by numerals, 1 designates the flooring of a car from which the usual air brake cylinder 2 is suspended from the underside thereof, said cylinder Speoiflcation of Letters Patent. Patented Ma 15 Application filed May 1, 1909. Serial No. 493,391.

form of the car and connects with a service pipe 5,'which may be composed of a plurality of angular sections and connectlng el bows to provide for the various portions of the car through which it asses, said pipe terminating at its outer en in a cylinder 6, and also having an intermediate branch connection 7 with a pressure gage 8.

The cylinder 2 has a piston 9 therein, the stem or rod 10 of which has a spiral spring 11 coiled thereon and interposed between the piston 9 and the rear end of said cylinder and which is constantly exerting a pressure to force said'piston in a direction to seal the inlet pipe 3. The incoming air will, of course, force said piston in the opposite direction until it has uncovered the entrance to pipe 4, whereupon air will enter the same and pass through service pipe 5 to operate the pressure gage 8 and simultaneously enter the cylinder V As has been stated before, the cylinder 6 is a part of the mechanism for operating an audible signal so that the attention of the train crew may be called to the gage 8 wluch serves as a visual si nal, and as such is of special value as a night signal. For daylight use the gage in itself would ordinarily be suficient as it is supported by the branch pipe in a conspicuous position. And to provide for using the age independently, the service pipe 5 may fie provided with a plug valve 12 above the branch pipe 7 so as (tio Clt oif communication with said cylin- The cylinder 6 has detachable end caps 13 and 14 which are centrally thickened, the lower one having a threaded opening 15 formed through it for a nipple 16 which forms the communication between the cylinder and the service pipe 5. The upper cap is provided with a guiding opening 17 for a piston stem or rod 18, the piston 19 of which has an air tight fit within the cylinder 6 and between which and the upper cap 13a spiral spring 20 is coiled about said stem and exerts a pressure tending to'force said piston to a position where it will seal the opening 15. The stem 18 projects beyond the uppercap 13 of the cylinder and has an insulated covering or cap 21 at its projected end adapted to contact with a spring contact 23 carried by a binding post 24 held between two insulating blocks 25, having a screw or bolt connection with the car. The binding post 24 is located at one end of said insulated blocks 25 and supports thespring contact at one end only, so that when the insulated end of the piston rod 18 contacts with said contact, the free end thereof will be brought into contact with a binding post 26 at the other end of-said blocks 25, and complete a circuit through feed wire 27, post 24, and spring contact 23, post 26, wire 28, bell or other signal 29, and mm 30. A tension bolt 31 is also supported between' the blocks 25 to regulate the tension of the contact. 0 The cylinder 6 is held in a vertical position on the side of a car by means of the upper and lower bands 32 which embrace the same and have their ends 333 l outturned and held in ri id but detachable engagement with the car y means of the screws 35 or equivalent fasteners.

It will be seen from the foregoing that when the pressure of the air entering the cylinder 2 is suflicient to overcome the resistance of the spring pressed piston, the latter will be forced back so as to permit the air to enter the service pipe 5 and operate the pressure gage and the piston within the cylinder 6, the latter piston being caused to ing what is known as complete the circuit to the signal -and sound the same and thereby call the train crew.

In Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings two si als have been shown whlch are o 4 erated b y the cylinder 6; said signals may he in the form of lamps or other night signals 36 which project from the sides of the cars so as to be readily visible from the cab of the locomotive. These signals operate, of course, in conjunction with the bell signal 29 heretofore described, although the said bell si nal is designed and particularly adapte for use as a day signal as will be obvlous. I

The-invention is of special utility in locatdynamiting brakes. in which the brakes of one car may be forcibly set in such manner as to cause the wheels to slide with the resultant danger of the couplers being pulled out. This dynamiting action of the brakes usually results from a defective triple valve, whereby the pressure fails to act on the first application, but on the secbnd'application, the force of the pressure is multiplied, thereby setting the brakes with from two to four times the force intended or necessary. It will be seen, that the present invention indicates audibly on each car the fact that the brakes have been properly applied the force of which may be readily ascertained by the crew, and in the night, the engineer by looking back may readily ascertain if all the signals are being displayed. so that he may be informed as to the condition of his train, and if a dynamiter is among them, the same may be quickly cut-out.

By means of this invention, the signal ap- -working condition.

aratus will act whether the air in an air rake s stem is working properly or impro erly. f the air is working roperly, t e signal apparatus will act on y when the engineer of a train reduces the train line pressure which causes the brakes to set, and thereupon the signals will be displayed.

When the engineer recharges the train line which releases the brakes, then the signals are closed; or, if from any. cause, there should be enough air escaping from any defec't in the air brake system to set the brakes,

the signal apparatus will act just the same as if the engineer had reduced the air ressure. Such would be the case shoul the train break apart, or an air hose pipe burst.

In this way timely notice is given to an en gineer and to a train crew of any irregularlty, or accident in the air brake system, so as to attend to the same and prevent accidents.

When it is desired to make a stop or to test the brake, the en 'neer by the use of what is called the engineer air brake valve makes a reduction of the air pressure'from the train line pipe. When this is done, the triple valve drops down far enough to let the air stored in the auxiliary reservoir of the air brake system to flow back through a port in the triple valve cylinder and into the brake cylinder. When the air enters the brake cylinder, it forces the piston head 9 forward and the piston rod 10 being connected up with levers and rods connected to the brakes sets the same. Now to release the brakes, the engineer places the valve in full feed position and recharges the train line pipe 5 is connected, then the air passes into the air pipe 5 leading from the air brake forces the piston 19 upward,'th'ere by closing the electric circuit which causes an alarm to be sounded and night visual'signals'to be displayed, and the indicator on the air gage isshown to be operated at thexsame time. When the engineer releases the brakes, thecylinder to the air pressure cylinder 6,"which piston head 9 of the brake cylinder returns to its normal position by means ofthe spiral spring 11 and the air escapes fronrthe pressure cylinder 6 through the brake cylinder and the indicator on the air gage drops back to its normal position, and the li hts orvisual signals go out since the electric current is broken. When this is done, the engineer and train crew know that the brakes are in good By means of the cutout valve 12, the gage may only be used during the day time if desired; or, it may be so arran ed that the gage and the bell or other audib e signal may be used in the day time with the night signals cut oif from the electric circuit.

. What I claim as my invention is 1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with an air brake cylinder, of a reacting air pressure cylinder having a piston and a piston rod forming a circuit breaker, an electric circuit including an audible signal, a make-and-break contact device operated by said circuit breaker, and an air pipe connecting said pressure cylinder with the air brake cylinder at a point adjacent to the inlet air pipe of the air brake cylinder.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, an air brake cylinder, a reacting air pressure cylinder having a piston and a piston rod forming a 'circuit breaker, an electric circuit,-an audible signal in said circuit, a make-and-break contact device adapted to be operated upon by said circuit breaker, an air pipe connecting said pressure cylinder with the air brake cylinder at a point adjacent to the inlet air pipe of the air brake cylinder, and a pressure age connected by an air pipe wlth said rst-mentioned air pipe.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, an air brake cylinder, a reacting air pressure cylinder havin a piston and piston rod forming a circuit reaker, an air pipe connecting said air pressure cylinder with the air brake cylinder at a point adjacent to the inlet air pipe of the air brake cylinder, an electric circuit, signals in said circuit, and a make and break contact device in said circuit adapted to be operated upon by said circuit breaker.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, an air brake cylinder in combination with a reacting air pressure cylinder having a piston and piston rod forming a circuit breaker, an electric circuit having a make-and-break contact device adapted to be operated upon by said circuit breaker, an audible signal in said electric circuit, an air pipe connecting said air pressure cylinder with said air brake cylinder at a point adjacent to the inlet air pipe of the air brake cylinder and having a cut out valve, a branch pipe extending from said air pipe between the cut out valve and the air brake cylinder, and a pressure gage connected with said branch pipe.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SIMON P. COTA.

Witnesses:

A. H. ARNETT, JAMES SOULEB. 

